Christie: Have I ever been angry with Steve Fulop? 'You bet I have' but ...

In his news conference over the Bridgegate scandal this morning, Gov. Christie acknowledged that he has an up-and-down relationship with Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and said he would look into Fulop's allegations that members of the state government haven't returned his phone calls for political reasons.

From the podium with cameras constantly clicking around him, Christie asked if he's ever been angry with Fulop and answered: "You bet I have.''

But, he continued, "I also spoke at his inauguration at his invitation.''

In what might be considered another slap at Fulop, Christie started his answer to a reporter's question on Fulop with: "Mayor Fulop seems to have a lot of disagreements with a lot of people.''

The governor later noted that the Fulop administration is "suing the Port Authority.'' (The lawsuit has been planned but hasn't been filed.)

Fulop could not immediately be located for comment.

Christie said that despite political disagreements at times, he and his staff "continue to work'' with Fulop and Jersey City and said that just yesterday state environmental officials met with Fulop to discuss $190 million in Blue Acres projects to buy properties affected by Hurricane Sandy.

The mayor said he read the exchange to mean he was Public Enemy No. 1 but declined to elaborate as to whether he thought it was the feeling of the Port Authority and/or the Christie administration.

Meanwhile, Fulop has been sparring with state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, over a bill that was approved in the Assembly by a 79-0 vote and would
allow the Jersey City pension system to mirror the state's but that hasn't been brought to a vote in the Senate. Fulop maintains it's because Sweeney sees him as a political rival.